


The Deal

by pizarra



Series: The Warlock's Bane [9]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Immortality, M/M, Role Reversal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-07
Updated: 2016-06-07
Packaged: 2018-07-12 22:00:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7124041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pizarra/pseuds/pizarra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin has grown stronger, and he and Arthur must end the suffering, for the sake of Camelot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Deal

Arthur is more than upset when he finds the girl gone the next morning.

“You fools! How can she just be gone?!” he roars, striding over to one soldier. “What are you standing there for?  _ Find her! _ ”

“Sire!” Sir Ancel rushes forward, gasping for breath. “Sire, it’s-it’s King Merlin. He’s in the courtyard.”

Every movement within the king’s chambers stop. Arthur holds his breath. Can it be?

He rushes past the guards and knights, past the servants who are all huddled by the windows to gape. He doesn’t run, but he does move fast, because Merlin, his beloved, is outside waiting for him.

Arthur finds Merlin right in the middle of the courtyard, surrounded by most of his knights and some soldiers. He looks calm and serene for a man hemmed in by Arthur’s soldiers.

“Merlin,” he greets his husband. “My love. I am glad you’re here. Are you prepared to surrender to me?”

Merlin slowly shakes his head, keeping his eyes on Arthur. Arthur signals his knights to grab his Consort, but they won’t move. He frowns.

“They can’t move, Arthur,” Merlin says. “I have come here to offer you a deal.”

Arthur raises an eyebrow. “Are you sure? You are in no position to be making deals, my love. I have the upper hand here.”

“Do you?” came the answer. “Your soldiers can’t move. I have the girl, and have taken away the enchantment upon her. Have you recently found that you cannot execute  _ anyone _ ? That’s my making, too. Every single person in Camelot is under my protection, except for you, your knights, and your army.” Merlin pauses, walks forward. The soldiers and knights surrounding him suddenly move to let him through. “Doesn’t that make you wonder? Aren’t you intrigued as to why you can’t capture anyone crossing the border? You can’t touch them, Arthur. They are safe  _ from you _ . Admit it, my dear husband, you no longer have the kingdom.  _ Camelot is with me. _ ”

The King clenches his fists. “What are you proposing?”

“We finish this once and for all. Tomorrow at noon, go to the Lake of Avalon. I’m sure you’ll be able to find it; you’ve been there, after all.”

With that, he turns his back on the man he once loved, and left the castle. It wasn’t until he reached Elmet that he releases his hold on Camelot’s knights and soldiers.

\----------==========----------

Merlin doesn’t move a muscle when Arthur arrives at the Lake of Avalon. He is once again standing on the lake, right in the middle, the water’s gentle lapping not even touching the bottom of his boots. Arthur raises an eyebrow at this and smirks.

“So, you finally reach your full potential, Merlin. Or, should I say  _ Emrys _ ?”

Merlin shrugs. “That is what the Druids call me.”

One by one, Arthur’s soldiers reach Avalon, gaping at Merlin. They look towards Arthur, their King, for guidance, but Arthur is keeping his eyes on Merlin.

“Well, then,” Arthur says, “you asked me to be here, my dear love, so I’m here. Now, what to do with our little situation?”

“Arthur, there’s something wrong with you, that’s why you’re acting this way.”

Suddenly, Arthur’s face contorts into a tremendous vision of rage. It’s ugly and terrifying, and it makes Merlin’s heart sink. “There is  _ nothing _ wrong with me! You betrayed me, going against me and saving your little friends! And for what?! Do you think it will change anything? Your friends are still dead! Leon is still dead! AND I AM STILL KING! And you. Will. Obey. Me.” Arthur’s breathing is harsh in the silence of the lake. “I am a benevolent King, Merlin. Just come back to me.”

Merlin shakes his head. “Arthur, when you died, the Sidhe took something from you. Something valuable.”

Arthur frowns, confusion on his beautiful face. “What are you talking about?”

“The Lake of Avalon is where souls go and lay to rest. Arthur, when the Sidhe brought you back, they kept your soul.”

The King starts laughing. “Merlin, of all the things… What nonsense are you saying now? Is this one of your ploys to distract me from the real purpose of why you invited me here? Are assassins hiding behind you? Up on the trees? Or are you just prolonging the inevitable?”

“I brought you here to give you back your soul.”

“Forget this idiocy,  _ Merlin _ , and come here. Pledge your fealty to me--your magic to me--and I shall forget your betrayal.”

“My magic,” Merlin starts, and he finds it hard to continue when Arthur,  _ this Arthur _ , has nothing inside him to understand the gravity of what he’s about to say, what he’s about to do. “My magic has always been for you.”

“Merlin, just--”

“Enough!” His voice thundered throughout the area, made louder by the magic brimming on his fingertips. “Listen to me carefully, Arthur. This is important. You need to remember this when you get your soul back, do you understand me?”

“ _ Merlin, no. _ ” He can hear Freya’s voice in the wind, and he shakes his head, knowing that only he can hear her.

“Remember--”

“ _ Merlin, you are the last thread of magic the earth has. Do not do this. _ ” 

Merlin can feel the rivers and oceans and trees and leaves reaching out to him, begging him to stay his hand. He shakes his head harder, wanting to get away from the thrumming of all things around him, living and dead.

“Remember that I love you, and I always will.” Arthur frowns, but Merlin cuts him off before he can speak. “This is not your fault, do you understand? The pain that you caused, all the suffering, all that happened because you have no soul. And please, do not seek vengeance for what’s about to happen, what I’m about to do, because this is what  _ I wanted. _ I CHOSE THIS. Do you understand?”

“Merlin--”

“I love you, more than my life,  _ more than my magic _ . And I shall love you when I am no longer. You are a great king, and you shall unite the land. And...and I’m sorry.”

Merlin raises both his hands in a wide arch, calling for the power of the earth and the sky itself. He feels everything happening: the stilling of all the people around him, the shaking of Avalon, the rising of souls. And then he feels it,  _ feels him. _ The bright, warm glow of Arthur’s soul.

The Sidhe also rise from the depths of the lake, but they are bound by the power that he yields. They cannot move or fight him.

He reaches out a hand, and Arthur’s soul goes willingly with him. Yes. Souls do recognize their mates. He smiles through his tears, for the end is near. Carrying Arthur’s fragile soul in one hand, he glides towards where Arthur stands frozen, eyes boring into him but unable to ask the questions he wants to ask. With hs free hand, he unsheathes Arthur’s dagger from his waist, wraps Arthur’s fingers around it, blade out.

“I know you can hear me,” Merlin whispers. “I know...I know you can see me. I have a request. Once we finish this, I just...I long to hear you say you love me again. Please, tell me you love me again?”

He closes his eyes. Gripping Arthur’s hand that’s holding the knife, he holds the one with Arthur’s soul, and he enchants:

“zoun , giatí tha pethánoun

zoun gia to kaló ti̱s anthro̱póti̱tas

zoun , giatí tha pethánoun

zoun gia to kaló ti̱s anthro̱póti̱tas

zoun , giatí tha pethánoun

zoun gia to kaló ti̱s anthro̱póti̱tas”

Arthur’s bright soul starts shaking in his hand, and Merlin knows that it’s time. Gently, as gentle as he could, he uses all the magic that he has left to push Arthur’s soul inside his chest. Even without the ability to speak, Merlin can see that Arthur’s in pain; the King’s eyes close of their own volition, and tears stream down his face. Merlin wants to look away, but his love for this man supersedes the instinct to hide his own pain. The soul in his hand is starting to burn, somehow letting Merlin know that bringing back a soul to a living, breathing body is unnatural, a sacrilege.

The hand holding the knife suddenly jerks, and Merlin instinctively tightens his grip. How?  _ How did Arthur dislodge his enchantment? _

“Merlin,” Arthur croaks and tries to pull his hand away. Merlin holds on.

Now. It’s time. Arthur’s soul is seconds away from becoming his again.

It’s time.

Using the last of his strength, Merlin drives Arthur’s soul deep inside his body, and at the same time, uses his grip around Arthur’s hand to drive the knife into his heart.

  
  
  


 

Everything stops. Yet, everything moves again.

Merlin can see everything as they happen, and yet he feels far away. Arthur falls down on the ground clutching his chest. Knights and soldiers are still too shocked to do anything other than gape at the scene before them.

Behind him, Merlin can feel the Sidhe raise angry cries at the loss of the Once and Future King’s soul, while he hears Freya scream in sorrow, in his mind...in his mind…

The world is silent. He can’t feel the earth, nor the trees, nor the leaves, nor the wind, nor the water. Merlin tries to reach out to them, but the universe and its very essence is deathly still. Is this how the world feels like for ordinary people? Can they not feel the world move, the heart of the earth thrum?

He sees the world tilt sideways, and he hits the ground, but there is no pain. And then, Arthur is there. His Arthur. His King.

“Merlin,” Arthur’s voice is ragged. Merlin looks into his eyes, and he knows, it’s  _ him. _

Arthur’s back.

“You idiot,” Arthur grits his teeth. “How--how could you--”

Merlin looks down at where Arthur’s hands are, and he sees the knife sticking out of his own chest. He sees blood, but he can no longer smell it. Or feel it dripping out of his body.

“Help,” Arthur rasps. “Help!” Louder this time. Arthur is looking around him, but Merlin wonders who he’s looking for. Gaius is safe and sound in Elmet. “We need to stop the bleeding,” Arthur says to him.

“Tell me?” Merlin asks.

“No.” Arthur shakes his head. “NO! No, no, no! You are not leaving me, do you understand me? We can stop the bleeding, and you can do your magic, and heal yourself, and--”

He shakes his head.  _ It’s too late.  _ “Tell me?” He asks again.

Arthur shakes his head harder this time. Just as well. Because Merlin is tired, too tired. He needs to close his eyes, and rest for a bit…

“NO! You IDIOT! Please.”

Merlin opens his eyes.

“I love you. I love you, Merlin. Please, don’t--please. Hold on, alright? Just hold on. Help is coming. We can heal you. St-stop the bleeding. Make you--Merlin. Merlin! I love you! Merlin? Merlin!”

He needs to rest for a bit.

\----------==========----------

 

The day turns into night, and still King Arthur holds King Merlin’s body in his arms. Soldiers try to pry him away, but he holds firm.

The Sidhe have gone back to their realm, without notice or noise. The soldiers whisper amongst themselves, “Will they be back? Are they gone for good?”

They build a pyre for the fallen King, and as the night falls deep, they ask the King. “Sire, we need to lay him to rest.” They prepare a boat for the fallen King’s broken body to set sail, but, the King just holds Merlin tighter.

The tree don’t move, there is no breeze. It’s like the world has gone still.

Sir Percival arrives. The soldiers all draw their swords, but their blades don’t touch him. The dead King’s mother follows him, and her wail of despair at the sight of her son’s body breaks the silence of the night.

And still King Arthur holds King Merlin’s body in his arms.

 

\----------==========----------

 

But, it’s a curious thing. 

King Merlin is dead. Has been dead for hours, and yet, his lips are still rosy. Small patches of red are on his sharp cheekbones, and his hands are still pink.

The soldiers look at the copious amount of blood on the ground, blood that has spilled down into the lake, and know,  _ know _ , that no man could survive that blood loss. Not for hours.

_ “Leave him,” _ they hear. They look around them for the female voice, but there is no one.

“ _ Leave him. He shall be safe in Avalon. _ ”

Bumps rise on the soldiers’ skin, as they continue to look for the owner of the mysterious voice.

“ _ Leave him, King Arthur, and take heart, for when Albion’s need is greatest, Merlin will rise again.” _

King Arthur lifts his head from King Merlin’s chest. The soldiers look at each other and around them, wary of the disembodied voice. Surely, the King wouldn’t…?

Slowly, yet steadily, the King lifts Merlin’s broken body and carries it to the boat. He laid King Merlin upon the moss and leaves and flowers, now lifeless and dull after hours had passed. The King kisses Merlin’s forehead, and they all look away, giving the Kings some semblance of privacy.

“I love you. I will always love you.” They hear. “And I will wait for you.”

The boat moves away. In the middle of the lake, the boat sets on fire.

And they all watch as King Arthur watches the love of his life burn away.

 

\----------==========----------

Arthur goes to the lake on the day of Merlin’s death. He’s done it for more than a thousand years, and it’s easy and difficult at the same time.

He brings lavenders and lays them beside him on the bench, because Merlin has always loved those. Throughout the ages, he’s forgotten a lot--Guinevere’s face, Merlin’s face, Morgana’s face--but lavenders, he’ll always remember as Merlin’s favorite.

He doesn’t age. He’s watched his Kingdom die, and from the ashes a new one was built. After Camelot had gone, he’s stayed in the shadows, moving from place to place every few years, just so people won’t notice that he has no grey hair in sight. Never straying far from Avalon, because Merlin is there, and he needs Arthur. He’s changed his name to its more modern use, but kept it the same over the years.

He always comes back on the day of Merlin’s death.

It’s never easy. Arthur joined both World Wars in the hope that the universe takes pity on him, and kills him, but Merlin saved him all three times. He knows it was Merlin. During the second war, he had drunk himself pissed in this pub in Manila, angry at the world, for what was the use of the wars if Merlin was not back with him? He sees American soldiers repeating his sentiment, how much they worry for their loved ones. When the fighting started, he was determined to die. A Japanese soldier aimed his gun at Arthur, and Arthur laid down his arms. That was it. It was his time to die.

He woke up next to the lake.

Arthur ranted and raved and shouted at the lake for saving him, when it couldn’t even save Merlin, but the lake stood silent.

“ _ Never again, _ ” he heard.

After crying his eyes dry, he nodded and made a second promise by the lake. “Never again.”

His reverie is broken by laughter, followed by the sight of children running past him. The next moment, a man sits beside him. He has black hair, as black as a raven’s, cheekbones that can cut glass, and a huge smile on his face.

Arthur frowns. There are plenty of empty benches near the lake, and yet this man chose to sit next to him. Can’t he see Arthur wants to be alone?

“Lavenders have always been my favorite.”

Arthur stares at him. Really stares. No. It couldn’t be. Could it?

“Hello, Arthur.”


End file.
